RSCnet 579 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 This beautiful photo of a very cool truck filled with even cooler bikes on a picturesque salar (salt lake) in Bolivia represents the end of a dream for the riders. This is the sweep truck in the 2015 Dakar Rally if your bike is on it it means your rally is over. 134 was Clayton Jacobson's KTM 450RR and it succumbed to electrical failure that he could not fix on the stage. Why did the organization run the bikes across a salar? The only reason I can think of is for beautiful photos and video. The salt + water is wreaking havoc on competitors bikes and will continue throughout the rest of the rally. The Dakar Rally is the toughest motorsport event in the world but just getting to the starting line is an even greater feat. The cost is high in terms of money, preparation and logistics. The entry fee is very high, the bikes are not cheap nor are all the spares and gear. The more you spend the greater your chances of finishing (to a degree). Part of that is hiring a service that hauls tires and parts which can help ensure that mechanically you will finish. Logistics of getting it all to South America and back. Then there's the physical part, the training and time on the bike so that your body will make it too. Also there are all the friends and family back home that have supported you in this endeavor and all want you to achieve your dream and come home safely. My heart sinks with each competitor that has their rally ended before the finish. View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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